MEMS microphone system with low pressure gap and back volume

ABSTRACT

A MEMS microphone system comprises a transducer die having a pierce-less diaphragm and a motion sensor suspended from the diaphragm. The system further comprises a housing and the diaphragm divided a volume inside the housing into a front volume and a back volume. The motion sensor suspended from the diaphragm is located in the back volume having a gas pressure that is substantially equal or lower than an ambient pressure.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No.15/890,941 which was filed Feb. 7, 2018, which issued as U.S. Pat. No.10,448,132 on Oct. 15, 2019, and which in turn claims priority to U.S.provisional patent application Ser. No. 62/526,154, filed Jun. 28, 2017,the contents of which are each incorporated herein by reference as iffully enclosed herein.

FIELD

This disclosure relates generally to microelectromechanical system(MEMS) transducers and, more particularly, to a MEMS microphone systemwith low pressure gap and back volume.

BACKGROUND

Unless otherwise indicated herein, the materials described in thissection are not prior art to the claims in this application and are notadmitted to the prior art by inclusion in this section.

SUMMARY

A summary of certain embodiments disclosed herein is set forth below. Itshould be understood that these aspects are presented merely to providethe reader with a brief summary of these certain embodiments and thatthese aspects are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure.Indeed, this disclosure may encompass a variety of aspects that may notbe set forth below.

Embodiments of the disclosure related to a MEMS microphone system. Thesystem comprises a transducer die having a pierce-less diaphragm and amotion sensor suspended from the diaphragm. The system further comprisesa housing and the diaphragm dividing a volume inside the housing into afront volume and a back volume. The motion sensor suspended from thediaphragm is located in the back volume having a gas pressure that issubstantially equal or lower than an ambient pressure.

In another aspect of the disclosure, a MEMS microphone system comprisesa microphone housing and a cavity formed within the microphone housing.A pierce-less diaphragm dividing the cavity into a front volume and aback volume. An electrode assembly is suspended from the diaphragm andis located in the back volume. The electrode assembly comprises a firstelectrode and a second electrode spaced apart from the first electrode.Each electrode comprises a first support post and a second support postconfigured to suspend the electrode assembly from the diaphragm. A gapformed between the first electrode and the second electrode includes agas pressure that is substantially equal or lower than an ambientpressure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features, aspects, and advantages of this disclosurewill become better understood when the following detailed description ofcertain exemplary embodiments is read with reference to the accompanyingdrawings in which like characters represent like arts throughout thedrawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a microphone system in accordance with adescribed embodiments of a disclosure;

FIG. 2A is a cross-sectional view of the microphone system of FIG. 1 inaccordance with a described embodiment of the disclosure;

FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view of another microphone system of FIG. 1with a bottom port in accordance with a described embodiment of thedisclosure;

FIG. 2C is a cross-sectional view of another microphone system of FIG. 1with a side port in accordance with a described embodiment of thedisclosure;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a microphone system having a MEMSmicrophone die in accordance with a described embodiment of thedisclosure;

FIGS. 4A-4E are cross-sectional views of a microphone system having aMEMS microphone die in accordance with another described embodiment ofthe disclosure; and

FIGS. 5A and 5B are cross-sectional views of a microphone system havinga MEMS microphone die in accordance with another described embodiment ofthe disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following description is presented to enable any person skilled inthe art to make and use the described embodiments, and is provided inthe context of a particular application and its requirements. Variousmodifications to the described embodiments will be readily apparent tothose skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein maybe applied to other embodiments and applications without departing fromthe spirit and scope of the described embodiments. Thus, the describedembodiments are not limited to the embodiments shown, but are to beaccorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and featuresdisclosed herein.

Various operations may be described as multiple discrete actions oroperations in turn, in a manner that is most helpful in understandingthe claimed subject matter. However, the order of description should notbe construed as to imply that these operations are necessarily orderdependent. In particular, these operations may not be performed in theorder of presentation. Operations described may be performed in adifferent order than the described embodiment. Various additionaloperations may be performed and/or described operations may be omittedin additional embodiments.

The disclosure is a microphone system for a client machine. Within theclient machine are several other electronic components, such astransducer dies, speakers, graphical processor units, computer processorunits, host systems, MEMS microphones, and any suitable computerimplemented devices either directly or indirectly coupled to themicrophone system. The client machine may be a personal computer ordesktop computer, a laptop, a cellular or smart phone, a tablet, apersonal digital assistant (PDA), a gaming console, an audio device, avideo device, an entertainment device such as a television, a vehicleinfotainment, a wearable device, an entertainment or infotainment remotecontrol, a thin client system, a thick client system, or the like. Othersuitable client machines regardless of size, mobility, or configurationmay be suggested to include any number of microphone system.

The microphone system includes a package housing or an enclosure forhousing any number of transducer dies, internal components, orcombination thereof. The transducer dies may be such as MEMStransducers, speakers, receivers, microphones, pressure sensors, thermalsensors, optical sensors, imaging sensors, chemical sensors, gyroscopes,inertial sensors, humidity sensors, accelerometers, gas sensors,environmental sensors, motion sensors, navigation sensors, vitalsensors, tunnel magnetoresistive (TMR) sensors, proximity sensors,bolometers, or combination thereof. The microphones may be electretmicrophones, capacitive microphones, graphene microphones, piezoelectricmicrophones, silicon microphones, optical microphones, or any suitableacoustic microphones.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a microphone system 10 according to anembodiment of the disclosure. The MEMS microphone system 10 includes apackage housing 20 having a lid 12, a spacer 14, and a substrate 16attached to the spacer 14 by any suitable methods of attachment. Morethan one transducer die may be mounted within the microphone system 10.The transducer dies may be MEMS transducers, speakers, receivers,microphones, pressure sensors, thermal sensors, optical sensors, imagingsensors, chemical sensors, gyroscopes, humidity sensors, inertialsensors, vital sensors, TMR sensors, accelerometers, gas sensors,environmental sensors, motion sensors, navigation sensors, proximitysensors, bolometers, or combination thereof. Optional components such asASICs, integrated circuits, processors, controllers, energy storagedevices, actuators, sensor circuits or any suitable circuitry may bemounted within the microphone system 10. Depending on the application,any number of opening 22 such as a port or a passageway for receivingattributes from an environment may be formed on any location of thepackage housing 20 by etching, piercing, drilling, punching, or anysuitable methods. For example, the opening 22 may be formed on the lid12, the substrate 16, or the spacer 14. In some embodiments, the opening22 may be formed on multiple locations of the package housing 20. Theattributes may be acoustic signal, pressure signal, optical signal, gassignal, and any suitable signal. An optional barrier may be formedwithin the opening 22. The barrier is configured and functioned as afilter to remove debris, contamination, particles, vapor, fluid, or thelike. In some embodiments, the barrier may formed on the outer surfaceof the housing 20 to cover the opening 22 so that debris, contamination,particles, or the like cannot penetrate into the housing. In yet anotherembodiments, the barrier may be formed below the opening 22 in which aportion of the barrier is attached to the inner surface of the housing20 for filtering or removing debris, contamination, particles, or thelike. In yet embodiments, the barrier may be fabricated directly ontothe movable member such as a diaphragm. In yet another embodiment, thebarrier is formed as a layered film or a layered material and may eitherbe integrated into the housing 20 during fabrication, or disposed on theouter or inner surface of the housing 20. Although one barrier isdescribed, multiple layers of barrier or any suitable number of barriermay be implemented on the MEMS package, depending on the application.The barrier not only functions as the particle removal while exposed tothe environment via the opening 22, the barrier can also serve otherpurposes such as a shock absorber, or a vibration damper, or combinationthereof. Although the microphone system 10 as depicted comprises amulti-structure package housing 20, various aspects and configurationseither in a single structure package housing, a two piece structurepackage housing, or multi-structure package housing may be used toencapsulate at least one internal component. As an example, the lid 12and the spacer 14 may be formed as a single structure, defines a coveror a cap. One or more bonding pads 18 may be formed on the substrate 16,the lid 12, the spacer 14, or multiple locations of the package housing20 by any suitable method. Once bonding pads 18 are introduced, themicrophone system 10 can be easily mounted to an external printedcircuit board or another support member of the client machine. In someembodiments, the package housing further includes an interposer coupledthe cover 12 to either the spacer 14 or the substrate 16.

FIGS. 2A-2C illustrate cross-sectional view of the microphone systems 10of FIG. 1 having at least one opening 22 formed on various location ofthe packaging housing 20 in accordance with a described embodiment ofthe disclosure. The microphone system 10 includes a transducer die 30and a component 26 mounted within any location of the package housing20. An opening 22 formed on any location of the package housing 20 isadjacent to at least one of the transducer die 30 or the component 26 isprovided to receive attributes or stimuli from external environment. Aconnection link 24 may be introduced to communicatively couple thetransducer die 30 to the component 26. The connection link 24 may bewire bonding, solder-bump, solder microbump, solder ball, or anysuitable connectors. In some embodiments, the connection link 24 may bea wireless communication link and the transducer die 30 iscommunicatively coupled to the component 26 with built-in interfacesformed in both transducer die 30 and the component 26. The wirelesscommunicative link, for example, may be WiFi, near field communication(NFC), Zigbee, Smart WiFi, Bluetooth (BT) Qi wireless communication,ultra-wide band (UWB), cellular protocol frequency, radio frequency, orany suitable communication link. Depending on the applications, anynumber of transducer die 30, components 26, or connection links 24between the transducer dies and the components may be used. Althoughside-by-side configuration of the component 26 and the transducer die 30is illustrated in FIG. 1, any suitable configurations may be possible.For example, the transducer die 30 may be placed or mounted on top ofthe component 26 to form a stacked configuration. In another example,the transducer die 30 may be mounted in a hole formed within thecomponent 26 configured to receive the transducer die to form asurrounded configuration.

FIG. 3 illustrates a cross-sectional view of a MEMS microphone die 130in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure. Inside amicrophone housing 20 of the microphone die 130 comprises a volume thatis divided into a front volume 150 a and a back volume 150 b by adiaphragm 148. A motion sensor 156 located in the back volume 150 b issuspended from the diaphragm 148. The microphone die 130 furthercomprises an opening 22 in fluid communication with the front volume 150a. As illustrated, the opening 22 is formed on a substrate 16 by anysuitable methods. Although one opening 22 is depicted, several smallerholes formed in a group, as opposed to a single large hole, can bepierced in the substrate 16 for receiving sound pressure. In operation,sound pressure travels into the front volume 150 a through the opening22. The acoustic pressure in the front volume 150 a causes the diaphragm148 to vibrate. The motion sensor 156 detects the frequency andamplitude of the diaphragm motion and converts both the frequency andthe amplitude into an electrical signal for further processing. Staticambient pressure deforms the diaphragm 148 statically. If the ambientpressure changes slowly, the diaphragm 148 deforms gradually and slowlyover a period of time. In one embodiment, the motion sensor is acapacitive or piezoelectric or piezoresistive or other using anothertransducer mechanism non-DC capable acceleration sensor that coupled tothe diaphragm 148 move upon the motion of the diaphragm. In anotherembodiment, the motion sensor is a one-channel, two-channel orthree-channel acceleration sensor where the DC component is canceled bysignal processing or by other means. Other types of sensor such as apure dynamic motion sensor, a velocity sensor, a rotational-rate sensor,a rotational accelerator sensor, a laser-doppler, an interferometer, anoptical sensor, a light sensor, a magnetic sensor, or any suitablesensors may be used without departing from the scope of the disclosure.In some embodiments, the sensor 156 may be mounted to any structure ofthe microphone die 130 other than to the diaphragm as previouslydescribed. For example, the sensor 156 may be mounted to any inner wallof the housing 20. Although one sensor 156 is illustrated, themicrophone die 130 may include two or more sensors 156 for measuring themotion of the diaphragm due to the sound pressure.

With the pierce-less diaphragm 148 inside the microphone housing 20, theback volume 150 b is completely sealed, and barometric pressure changeswould cause a significant displacement of the diaphragm 148. Since thereis no holes in the diaphragm 148 the pressure within the back volume 150b is sealed and evacuated. Gas from external environment is preventedfrom reaching the back volume 150 b. The gas pressure or the gasviscosity or heat conductivity inside the back volume 150 b is thereforesignificantly reduced. Likewise, acoustic noise or thermomechanicalnoise as a result of the reduction of the gas pressure also is reduced.Thus, the signal-to-noised (SNR) ratio and particle robustness of themicrophone die 130 are improved.

FIGS. 4A-4E illustrate cross-sectional views of a microphone die 230 inaccordance with an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure. Unlike fromthe microphone die 130 of FIG. 3, the microphone die 230 comprises anelectrode assembly 256 suspended from a diaphragm 248. The electrodeassembly 256 comprises a first electrode 256 a, a second electrode 256b, and a gap 246 formed between the first and second electrodes 256 a,256 b. As illustrated, the first and second electrode 256 a, 256 blocated in the back volume 250 b are parallel to each other. Theelectrode assembly 256 further comprises a first support member 256 cfor suspending the first electrode 256 a and a second support member 256d for suspending the second electrode 256 b. The first support member256 c having a height longer than a height support member 256 d in orderto form a gap 246 between the first and second electrode 256 a, 256 b.In one embodiment, the second support member 256 d is a tubular shapewith a hollow portion for receiving the first support member 256 c. Inoperation, sound pressure acting on the diaphragm 248 results in avertical movement of the diaphragm 248 with the frequency of the soundand an amplitude according to the sound pressure level. Due to themovement of the base, the first electrode 256 a starts to vibrate aswell. The second electrode 256 b does not flex. The relative motionbetween the first and second electrode 256 a, 256 b results in a changeof the effective gap 246. The dynamic change of the gap 246 can be readout by an electric circuit and to obtain a value of the sound. Asillustrated in FIGS. 4B and 4C, the gap 246 does not change in case ofdifferent ambient pressures (barometric pressures) thus making thesystem insensitive against low-frequency ambient pressure changes.Unlike from FIGS. 4B and 4C, the first electrode 256 a and the diaphragm248 as illustrated in FIGS. 4D and 4E flex freely in any direction. Therelative motion between the first and second electrode 256 a, 256 bresults in a change of the effective gap 246. The dynamic change of thegap 246 is read out by an electric circuit and to obtain a value of thesound.

FIGS. 5A and 5B illustrate cross-sectional views of a microphone die 330in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure. Unlikefrom the microphone die 230 of FIG. 4, the microphone die 330 comprisesone or more sensors 356 suspended from a diaphragm 348. The sensor 356such as a sensing electrode may be made from the diaphragm 348. Using aconductive layer, the sensor 356 could be applied or suspended from thediaphragm 348 via insulators 356 a. The sensor 356 comprises anelectrode 356 c having a spring element 356 b suspended on the insulator356 a. Electrical connections to the diaphragm 348 and the sensor 356may be provided via the insulators 356 a. The electrode 356 c flexoutwardly in the direction as depicted in arrow and move away and thenflex inwardly towards the diaphragm 348 thereby changing the gap between356 c and 348. The phase relation between the motion of the diaphragm348 and the sensor 356 can range between 0 degree and 360 degree; insome embodiments. The change in gap can result in a change incapacitance by using 348 as a counter electrode. This change incapacitance can be evaluated by coupling the microphone die 330 to anelectric circuit for detecting sound.

In another embodiment, rotational rate sensors or rotationalacceleration sensors can be attached to the diaphragm. The location ispreferably between the center of the membrane and the edge, morepreferably at the point where the rotational rate or change inrotational rate is the largest.

In another embodiment, a Doppler-effect can be used to read out themotion of the diaphragm. Optionally, a light source and a light detectorare attached to the lid. The diaphragm serves as a mirror and areference beam and a light beam reflected from the diaphragm are broughtinto interference on the light detector. Upon vibration of thediaphragm, the light intensity on the detector changes accordingly. Anelectric circuit coupled to the microphone die is used to read out theelectric signal.

While the patent has been described with reference to variousembodiments, it will be understood that these embodiments areillustrative and that the scope of the disclosure is not limited tothem. Many variations, modifications, additions, and improvements arepossible. More generally, embodiments in accordance with the patent havebeen described in the context or particular embodiments. Functionalitymay be separated or combined in blocks differently in variousembodiments of the disclosure or described with different terminology.These and other variations, modifications, additions, and improvementsmay fall within the scope of the disclosure as defined in the claimsthat follow.

What is claimed is:
 1. A microphone system comprising: a housing; avolume formed within the housing; a movable member dividing the volumeinto a front volume and a back volume; and a first sensor located in theback volume, the first sensor supported on the movable member andconfigured to detect frequency and amplitude of the movable member inmotion and convert both the frequency and the amplitude into anelectrical signal for further processing, wherein the first sensor is anelectrode assembly, the electrode assembly comprising: a first electrodesupported by a first support member; a second electrode supported by asecond support member; and a first gap formed between the first andsecond electrodes; wherein the first and second electrodes are parallelto each other, and the first and second support members couple the firstand second electrodes to the movable member.
 2. The microphone system ofclaim 1 wherein the movable member is a pierce-less diaphragm.
 3. Themicrophone system of claim 1 wherein the first support member has alength different from a length of the second support member.
 4. Themicrophone system of claim 3 wherein the second support member comprisesa tubular shape body with a hollow portion for receiving the firstsupport member.
 5. The microphone system of claim 1 wherein themicrophone system further comprises a second sensor suspended from themovable diaphragm, each of the first and second sensors comprising: anelectrode having a spring element; and an insulator configured tosupport the electrode.
 6. The microphone system of claim 5 wherein thefirst sensor is selected from a group consisting of a motion sensor, acapacitive transducer, a piezoelectric transducer, a piezoresistivetransducer, a one-channel acceleration sensor, a two-channelacceleration sensor, a three-channel acceleration sensor, a pure dynamicmotion sensor, a velocity sensor, a rotational-rate sensor, a rotationalaccelerator sensor, a laser-doppler, an interferometer, an opticalsensor, a light sensor, and a magnetic sensor.
 7. The microphone systemof claim 2 wherein the back volume has a gas pressure that issubstantially equal to or lower than an ambient pressure of themicrophone system.
 8. The microphone system of claim 1, furthercomprising: a second gap between the first support member and the secondsupport member.
 9. The microphone system of claim 1, wherein: the firstsupport member supports the first electrode at a first height above themovable member; the second support member supports the second electrodeat a second height above the movable member; and the first height ishigher than the second height.